Not So Maternal Instincts
by Dollybigmomma
Summary: ONE SHOT entry for kikiwhore's Esme's Erotic Ecstasy contest. Post BD, Carlisle and Esme travel to Volterra with a surprise for Marcus, but find themselves enjoying their trip there much more than usual.


**Kikiwhore presents: Esme's Erotic Ecstasy Contest**

**Story Title: Not So Maternal Instincts**

**Author: Dollybigmomma**

**Pairing: Esme and Carlisle, facilitating a relationship for Marcus**

**Vamp or Human: Vamp**

**Disclaimer: Twilight characters may be Stephenie Meyer's,**

**but she wouldn't know what to do with Esme like this!**

_**ESME**_

I never was fond of visiting Volterra. Every time we had ever had to do it, I always came away feeling the need for a good sandblasting, followed by a full-body antibacterial scrub. Creepy didn't even begin to define the home of the Volturi. But a part of me found myself feeling sad for the inhabitants of that morbid place, particularly the ruling triad. They never left the castle, and my heart especially went out to Marcus. He could see the strength of others' bonds, yet he had been alone for so long with no one in his life since his beloved Didyme was killed so many centuries ago.

After seeing Marcus in such horrid misery and devastation, Aro had regretted his actions of taking Didyme's life and had long since apologized for his role in her death, and somehow, Marcus had miraculously forgiven him, not something often heard of in our world. But the tragic damage had been done, and Marcus conceded that revenge or holding a grudge would not bring her back, or ease his suffering, only lose him someone else he loved. It was no wonder Marcus acted so withdrawn and my heart ached for him. Jasper had once said that he could feel his agony, and it was paralyzing. His suffering was likened to that which Edward had experienced in the months he and Bella were apart, only Marcus had endured that excruciating agony for centuries.

I was hopeful on this trip that I could bring him some glimmer of happiness. I had done some extensive genealogical research and found Didyme's extended human family. She had a final living relative, a great niece, who had been taken to an orphanage at the age of seven after her mother died. I managed to find some pictures of her, and she bore a striking resemblance to the painting of Didyme in Marcus' private study I had seen once. She was an exceptional beauty, and even in her human state, she rivaled Rosalie. Sadly, at only twenty-one, Lysandra was now dying from a rare form of cancer in a hospital in Greece.

I packed mine and Carlisle's bags for our next trip back to discuss semi-annual American coven business. Aro had requested Carlisle to be liaison for the covens of the Americas in an attempt to make the Volturi seem less brutal and improve their image, especially after word had gotten around how they had acted years ago when they came to see Renesmee. Aro eventually gave a sincere apology for his behavior, citing jealousy, as well as power lust, for his behavior, and begged Carlisle's forgiveness as one of his oldest and dearest friends. Carlisle accepted and took the position in deference to his old friend, plus it helped keep the number of Volturi visits to our side of the world to a minimum. A definite win for us all. My clever husband also threatened to infect every human entering within the gates of Volterra with a virus that caused almost instant explosive reeking diarrhea that would make dining on them nearly unbearable if Aro ever pulled anything like that again.

After an uneventful flight and late night taxi ride to Volterra, Carlisle, Jasper, Alice, and I stepped into the reception area and were greeted by the ever-pleasant human receptionist. She immediately led us to the antechamber where the three rulers were awaiting us.

"Carlisle, my dearest friend, welcome back!" Aro gushed. "And you brought some of your lovely family. We're so delighted you're here. Esme, my dear, you're looking as ravishing as ever," Aro said as he kissed my hand, no doubt checking my thoughts. I had to fight the urge to pull out the bottle of sanitizer in my purse once he relinquished my hand. Not that vampires needed to worry about germs, but the feeling I got after being touched by Aro made me want to scrub like an OCD patient. "What splendid news you bring, my dearest Esme! I'm sure it'll be very well received." Caius looked at me curiously, but Marcus barely moved or acknowledged our presence.

We were shown to our rooms to freshen up and settle in, and Carlisle began laughing when we walked into our suite. On the table was a carafe of freshly-collected deer blood and two crystal goblets. "What hotel in Italy could we count on for such service," Carlisle mused as he poured us each a glass. We had hunted before we left the states, but the refresher was nice. I had just started thinking about how I was going to share the news I had with Marcus when I could smell Alice outside our door before I heard her knock.

"Esme! It's going to be so much fun, and it'll be the event of the year here in Volterra! Oh, and we have to go shopping for her…" I put my hand up to stop Alice before she started ricocheting off the walls.

"Hold on, Alice! What are you talking about?" I had an idea, but I wanted to hear what she had seen.

"Their wedding of course! He's going to look so handsome, and her dress...Oh, Esme! They have to let me plan it!" Alice was jumping up and down now, on the verge of breaking planks in the flooring. She stopped for a moment with the blank look she got during a vision, and then started laughing hysterically. "Oh, he's not going to know what hit him! She's going to be an absolute whirlwind. Their furniture bill alone in the first year is going to rival the GNP of a small third world nation!" She paused again in another vision, and then frowned. "He may not like that, however."

I didn't have time to ask her what she'd seen, as a knock on the door interrupted us. It was one of the guards asking us back to the throne room. We all followed him back and joined the rulers to discuss the business we had come for. There were only minor issues to discuss, so as soon as we were finished, we were invited to join the Volturi for a small concert performed by talented members of the guard and staff. There were several very talented musicians amongst the ranks, including Aro himself, who played violin beautifully.

"That was wonderful!" I told Aro as we headed back to the common lounge area outside the residential quarters. "You have a marvelous group of talent here. It rivals some of the best ensembles I've ever heard."

"Thank you, my dear," Aro said proudly. He looked over at Marcus' expressionless face and smiled back at me. "I believe, however, you've developed a wonderful talent yourself for detective work that would make even Demetri proud. I think now would be an excellent time to share what you've discovered!"

They might have been monsters in their own right, but these three men loved each other like brothers under all the bravado, and I was certain Aro was hoping my news would breathe some life back into his brother's long dead heart.

"I'd be happy to." I winked at Alice and she disappeared for a moment to my room to fetch the folder of information I had brought. "Marcus, I have something for you."

As I addressed him, he slowly diverted his eyes to my face, never changing his position. I pulled the pictures of Lysandra from the folder and started laying them out on the coffee table in front of him. He looked down at them, his face still expressionless at first, until he focused in on the face of the girl in the pictures. Slowly, he sat up, picking them up one at a time and examining them with a level of intensity he hadn't used on anything in hundreds of years.

"Who is she?" he croaked out, his voice rough from disuse, his face slowly becoming animated and alive.

"She's Didyme's great niece, and her name is Lysandra. She's in a hospital in southern Greece. She's dying of cancer. The doctor Carlisle spoke to said she has probably less than two months left."

"If you wish to meet her, Marcus, I'd suggest we leave right away. The cancer she has is aggressive, and from the discussion I had with her doctor, I suspect they were generous with her estimated time remaining." Carlisle stood and extended his hand to Marcus. He took it and stood as well, suddenly smiling brightly; something he hadn't done in so long I was certain he had startled himself. It was as if he wasn't sure what his face was doing, because he reached a pale hand up to rub over his lips, marveling at the sensation.

Marcus looked at me with emotion in his eyes. "Thank you, Esme. You have no idea what this means to me." He hugged me quickly before turning to hurry for the door. Alice, however, met him at the door, handing him a garment bag.

"I've already alerted the Volturi's private plane to stand by. It's ready to go. All we have to do is get there," Alice told him with a smug grin.

Marcus spun around to Aro and Caius, who were smiling just as broadly. "We really need to get one of these!" he pointed to Alice, laughing. "She would be damned handy to have around. And fun!" He was positively giddy at this point.

"I keep trying, brother, but she and her talented mate seem to prefer the other side of the world to Volterra, so what am I to do?" Aro said lightly as he ushered us towards the elevators. "Go, brother, find this girl. If she's as capable of bringing this kind of joy back to your heart in person as she is only in pictures, she will be welcomed with open arms."

Marcus enthusiastically hugged Aro, and then surprised Caius by picking him up and spinning him around in a hug that was somewhat less than manly, but he didn't seem to care at the moment.

"Put me down, you daft fool!" Caius squealed, but he took Marcus' face in his hands and kissed both his cheeks once he was finally on his feet. "Good luck, brother. Be safe."

Alice insisted Marcus change into the beautifully custom-tailored Italian suit she had acquired for him before we left for Greece. She informed him she would work on his long hair on the plane. He looked somewhat frightened by her, which made all of us laugh, assuring him he was justified in his fear. We were accompanied by Marcus' personal guards, Alejandro and Marietta. They were pleasant enough, and if I wasn't mistaken, my instincts told me there was something brewing between the two of them. They couldn't have been much older than Alice was at the time of her change, but both had been with the guard for over four hundred years, so I knew they were quite powerful in their own rights.

The flight to Greece was short, and the limo Alice had arranged for in advance was waiting for us on the tarmac. Alejandro took the driver's seat, and within an hour, we were standing outside the cancer hospital where Lysandra was, the final light of day fading from the sky. Alice led us through the corridors, stopping outside the room she had seen in her visions. We all stood back, allowing Marcus to enter first.

The young woman was asleep, her striking features drawn up in pain as she restlessly fidgeted in her slumber. Jasper grimaced, whispering that she was in excruciating pain, both physically and mentally, and was giving off feelings of fear and hopelessness. She was beautiful, despite the ravages the cancer had wrought to her body. Her long dark golden hair was dull and matted, and her sculpted features were sunken, but she still had a regal air about her that shined through even in her condition.

Marcus pulled the chair from the corner next to the bed, reaching tentatively to take the girl's hand in his. She stilled as he stroked the back of her hand and up her arm over the many scars from all the IVs and procedures, her face relaxing. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open and she looked around, taking us all in. When her eyes met Marcus' gaze, she smiled shyly and wrapped both her hands around his. She uttered a few words in Greek that made him smile sadly but hopefully.

We were all fluent in Greek as well and understood that she'd said, "I know who you are. I've dreamt of you for years, but I didn't expect you would be so handsome, my Angel of Death. I'm glad you've come for me finally. I've been waiting and hoping for your arrival. Will you stay with me a while? I know it's foolish, but I think I'm in love with you already."

Marcus answered her in Greek, "Would you like to come with me? I'm not the Death Angel you think, but coming with me would end your suffering, and you would live without pain and disease, and you would never succumb to the death of which you speak." He smiled at her gently. "I think I'm already in love with you, too, my goddess." He leaned in slowly and kissed her lips, and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him to her as best as her weakened frame would allow. She pressed her forehead to his and grinned. Under his breath, he marveled excitedly, "The tie connecting us is already so strong!"

"Take me with you," she whispered. Marcus asked Carlisle to remove her IVs and monitors, and then he quickly wrapped her up in the blankets from the bed. We slipped silently through the corridors and out of the hospital undetected thanks to a little help from Jasper in getting the nurses and doctors to focus on each other instead of their surroundings. We made it out the side door and into the limo, where Jasper and Alice sat with me, and Carlisle sat with Marcus and Lysandra.

Marcus laid her gently on the seat of the limo and kneeled on the floor next to her, holding her hands. He explained to her what we really were and about how we lived. She nodded as he spoke, but her eyes widened and she shook her head as he explained his feeding habits to her. She began panicking, her fragile heart beating wildly at the thought of having to kill others to survive. That was where we came in, and I suddenly understood Alice's last vision.

"There is another way," Carlisle explained in Greek. "My family and I do not kill humans to survive. We eat from animals instead. Would this be more acceptable to you as well?"

She nodded, but then ducked her head at the look on Marcus' face. He softened and held her to him. "Whatever will make you happy, it is yours." Lysandra smiled at him, and Marcus grinned like a schoolboy with a crush. However, when she started coughing uncontrollably, blood gurgling up from her throat, Marcus panicked.

"Carlisle, do something!" he screamed. Carlisle quickly examined her and determined she was dying at last.

"We must do it now, she's out of time," Carlisle said solemnly. "Do you wish to do it, Marcus, or do you want me to do it for you? I can control myself and not kill her if you don't feel you can." Marcus was too emotional to be in control at the moment, so he nodded for Carlisle to proceed. I watched as my husband bit Marcus' future mate several times to start the venom flowing. There was something definitely erotic in watching him as his mouth descended upon her flesh, and I found my mouth watering profusely, among other things, as I continued to watch intently. Carlisle looked up at me and grinned when he caught the scent of my interest that gave me away. He would know that aroma well, as he reveled in it regularly. Fortunately, Marcus was too focused on Lysandra to pay any attention to me, but Jasper and Alice were giggling under their breaths.

"Oh, shut up, you two. You're no better," I growled at them. This made Carlisle grin even wider.

Lysandra began to shake and writhe with the circulation of Carlisle's venom through her veins. Marcus stripped off his jacket, tie, and shirt, and then moved into the seat with her, stripping away all of her clothing except for her underwear. He took her in his arms, wrapping his cold body around hers, hoping to help relieve the burn of the transformation. Marcus was a very well-built man and exceptionally beautiful, an impressive specimen to behold, and I was glad for Lysandra that they would have each other.

Carlisle draped the blanket over them before trading seats with Alice and wrapped me in his arms, pulling me into his lap where I could feel the quite prominent affect I was having on him as well. "When we get back to Italy," he murmured into my ear so only I could hear, "we're going to need some time alone. Doing that, with you watching me like you were, has left me incredibly in need of your attention, my beautiful wife."

By the time we got back on the plane, Lysandra was screaming from the pain of the flames burning through her veins. Fortunately, the pilots and attendants were all members of the guard and were accustomed to the sound. We arrived back in Volterra by sundown, and Lysandra was taken to Marcus' private chambers. Carlisle and I offered to sit with him while he awaited her awakening, but he declined, wishing to be alone with her when her heart stopped beating.

Alice was in heaven. She showed Aro her visions of their first days together and he genuinely laughed, snorted even, sending Alice and Jasper shopping with Volturi backing for new furniture and clothing for both Marcus and Lysandra. Of course, Alice being Alice, everything would be perfect in size and taste. She was truly in her element. As she and Jasper were leaving, Alice shot Carlisle and I a wide grin and a cheeky wink and promised to order a new one for our room as well. A new what, I had no clue.

Carlisle and I returned to our suite, and the minute the door closed, I found myself being slammed onto the bed, with Carlisle pinning my hands over my head with one hand while he ripped my clothes down the center of my body with the other. Somehow, between the door and the bed, he had shed everything he had on, and was now naked, hard, and hovering above me, staring into my eyes with a wicked smirk as he violently disrobed me. I liked it – a lot.

"So, Mrs. Cullen, you like to watch me bite innocent young women, do you?" he asked darkly and seductively as I watched his tongue slowly moisten his lips. The movement hypnotized me, and I found myself unable to move. Carlisle did have another power he had never revealed to anyone else, only me. He had the ability to seduce me with his eyes, even more so than the average vampire, disarming me to the point that I would succumb to any desire he had, in any way he wanted me.

"I did enjoy it, Carlisle," I whispered, "especially when you bit above her heart, just like you did when you saved me. Even though I was in pain that day, the erotic feel of your mouth, your teeth on my breast as they sank into my flesh, was something I've never forgotten. It still makes my body respond in embarrassing ways to think about it."

"Mmm, well, my love, we wouldn't want any embarrassing _responses _to go uninvestigated, now would we? I think as a doctor, it's my duty to examine you for this phenomenon and determine the nature of it."

He wrapped my hands around the spindles of the headboard, and then he began leaving wet, open-mouthed kisses down my body, starting at my neck. "Hmm, I may have found a connection here," he murmured around my nipples as he went back and forth, sucking hard and then biting gently, causing me to squirm under him and drip onto the sheets beneath me. "Yes, there's definitely a correlation here." He continued down my abdomen, pausing to slowly circle his tongue in and around my navel. I vibrated with silent giggles and then moaned loudly as the action sent both tickling and arousing sensations through me.

He slid lower in the bed, kissing and massaging with his tongue as he went, until his lips and tongue ceased their descent just above my valley of pleasure. "Ah, I believe I've found the source of the problem," he purred up at me from between my thighs, spreading them as wide apart as they would go. I watched, holding my breath, as his exceptionally long tongue slowly snaked out of his mouth and dipped out of sight, wrapping around and pressing down on my most sensitive nerve. He added his lips, then his teeth, caressing and sucking, massaging it to make it swell almost to the point of pain before his nose took over, his tongue then slipping lower and plunging inside me in a swirling and probing frenzy that had me screaming in a matter of seconds.

Carlisle quickly slid up my body and rammed himself inside me hard while I was still quaking in orgasm, causing me to come again instantly as he pounded into me mercilessly. Several more hard rocking orgasms later, he finally released inside me so hard I could feel the pulses from it all the way to my navel. The sensation shook me, causing me to come again, harder than I ever had before. Unfortunately, I was still gripping the headboard at the time, and the intensity of my orgasm caused me to shatter it against the wall with an earsplitting scream, separating it from the bed frame and causing the whole bed to fall, which had already been weakened with Carlisle's punishing thrusts.

We couldn't help it. We both broke out into hysterical laughter at the sight of the bed around us. Carlisle wrapped me in his arms and kissed my face all over, holding me as we continued to giggle. After a few moments, there was a knock at the door. Carlisle slipped on his robe to answer it, but I saw no one there, only a tray by the door. He came back with the tray containing another carafe of deer blood, two more goblets, and a note.

_My dear old friend,_

_Alice's thoughts suggested you may find this helpful about now to fortify yourselves. The room across the hall has been prepared for you and your lovely Esme, and the door is already open. Please think nothing of it._

_Fondly,_

_Aro_

_p.s. Bravo, old boy!_

If vampires could blush, we would both be quite red. After enjoying Aro's offering, we quickly gathered our things and slipped discretely across the hall into the new room. Only a few moments later, we could hear the sounds of the room we had just vacated being cleared of our carnage. Embarrassment aside, both Carlisle and I were sporting huge satisfied grins.

We spent the next two days visiting with Aro and Caius, shopping, and hunting in the mountains that lay beyond Volterra. Carlisle checked on Lysandra periodically to make sure her transition was progressing normally. We could hear as her heart fought a valiant fight, but on the third day it finally stilled, and with that, her pain and suffering ended. It was several hours later that Marcus emerged from his chamber to request our assistance with Lysandra. While we hunted earlier in the day, we had procured several containers of animal blood for her, all of which she consumed within a half hour of awakening. Marcus finally left the room and allowed Alice and I to assist her with bathing and changing, since her newborn strength prohibited her from touching much without damage. We were very surprised and pleased that she wasn't completely wild or crazed with bloodlust like some newborns were. In some ways, she reminded me very much of our own sweet Bella.

Alice had acquired an impressive wardrobe for her, along with toiletries and cosmetics, everything she would need to begin her new existence. Again, Alice was in her element as she coiffed and primped Lysandra to perfection. Her long dark golden hair was no longer matted and lifeless, but hung in silken shimmering waves down her back, her body now shapely and strong, her face filled out and stunningly beautiful. Alice helped her into a matching white lace lingerie set, and then I helped her into an elegant pale green sleeveless dress that hugged her body perfectly down to just below mid thigh before slipping a pair of matching designer heels of the same color onto her feet. Alice added a few perfect accessories, and then we stood back to admire our handiwork. Lysandra was an absolute vision. She smiled at us shyly.

"Thank you for finding me," she said in broken English. "I feel very well now. I wanted to die before, but your Carlisle saved me. I remember. I thank you both so much."

"It was our pleasure, dear. Now, let's go find Marcus."

On our way back to the antechamber, I heard the sounds of many voices in the distance. Human voices. They were not yet close enough to smell, but Alice and I each took hold of one of Lysandra's arms. Carlisle and Jasper came through the antechamber doors and were coming quickly towards us, motioning for us to hold on to Lysandra and go back. Apparently, it was dinnertime and Heidi was bringing in a group of tourists for the afternoon meal. Lysandra caught on quickly and stopped. She turned towards the door and began trembling just as Heidi was about to enter the last corridor and bring them into range.

"Marcus!" she growled in an odd voice, and the sound of it raised the hairs on the back of all our necks. I had never heard anything like it. She was holding her breath and absolutely glaring daggers when Marcus rushed out into the corridor. She looked every bit the queen she was as she stood there facing him. Didyme would have been proud.

"You called for me, my beauty?" Marcus asked innocently, her control over him already manifesting. "I understand Heidi has brought us quite the feast this evening. Join me?" He held out his hand for her to take, but she just looked at it.

"_You_ may join _me_," she said in Greek and turned to go, "but I will never willingly partake in that feast of death."

Marcus stood there with his mouth open, warring with his opposing desires; to go back and feast on the group of humans approaching, or go with his new beloved. Lysandra looked intensely back at him over her shoulder with smoldering newborn red eyes, and Marcus was done for. He followed us helplessly back towards the suites without another word. We sat down in the common area and one of the guards brought two large carafes of deer blood and goblets for everyone. I filled the glasses, and then Carlisle proposed a toast.

"To love, to friendship, to new beginnings, but mostly, to love." I tried not to giggle as I watched Lysandra and Marcus. She tipped her glass back and drained it, then waited expectantly for Marcus to do the same. He brought it to his lips, but wrinkled his nose at the smell of it. However, one look at Lysandra as she licked her lips and stared at him seductively and he was soon draining his glass and pouring a second for them both.

The effect of the deer blood was almost immediate on Marcus' skin, making him look less fragile and almost giving him a blush. Aro and Caius soon joined us for conversation, but after a while, it was made obvious by Marcus' uncomfortable squirming that he had other desires besides conversation that needed tending to. He made to excuse himself, and then extended his hand to Lysandra to join him. She suddenly became very shy and shook her head no, confusing and frustrating Marcus to no end. He stalked off through the terrace doors with a swirl of his cloak, leaving us all surprised by his behavior.

"May I talk with you in private, please?" Lysandra asked Alice and me quietly in Greek. I nodded and we went back to Alice's room. She sat on the edge of the bed, visibly shaking and wringing her hands nervously for a moment before speaking. "You are women with knowledge about men, I am sure. I have no such knowledge and must ask for your guidance." Her embarrassed look and shy demeanor, not to mention her shy dismissal of Marcus, told me all I needed to know. She was a virgin and scared to death.

"Let's go back to your room. I have something for you," Alice grinned and we went to open the door to find Carlisle and Jasper both standing outside, Carlisle's hand raised to knock.

"Everything alright?" Carlisle asked, but the smirk on his face let me know he had heard what was said and knew what we were about to do. I nodded and he kissed me sweetly as we left, heading towards Lysandra's room. From the looks of Jasper, I would say he could feel the intensity of the lust coming from us all, and he and Alice would be doing their own version of room demolition later as well.

Marcus had not returned to the room, so Alice pulled Lysandra inside and then rushed to the closet, pulling out a long pink bag. I helped Lysandra to strip, and then we began the process of Seduction Training 101. Alice and I described what would be happening to her while she was with Marcus and described to her things she could do to him, but told her to go with her instincts, and to know above all else that she was in control and had to do nothing she did not want to do. Alice helped her into a long white sheer lace negligee and matching robe, and then pulled out a bag with a dozen or so small white candles. I giggled when I realized they were the flameless kind and remembered Alice's vision about how destructive they were going to be for a while. Best not to tempt fate and send the castle and its flammable inhabitants up in a plume of purple smoke their first night together.

As we were getting ready to leave, there was a knock at the door. Marcus was in the doorway as Alice opened it, and we bid them good evening and left, giving Lysandra a wink of encouragement on the way out. Returning to our rooms, we passed Alice and Jasper's room first, and Jasper reached out and plucked Alice from the hallway so quickly I almost missed it. However, the imprint of Alice's back on the wall next to the door inside their room would need to be repaired, as I was certain Jasper had just pinned her roughly and was now ravaging her against it judging from the sounds coming through the wall.

Just before I turned the handle to enter our room, I heard loud growling and the sounds of furniture splintering coming from the direction of Marcus and Lysandra's room. Yes, Marcus truly had his hands full now. I felt inspired.

Carlisle was sitting on a chaise lounge reading when I entered, grinning from ear to ear as he apparently had heard the same things I just had. He stood up and came to me, wrapping me up in his firm embrace. "Have I told you today how proud of you I am, and how much I love you? You've done a wonderful thing for Marcus. I can't ever remember him being this animated and happy."

"No one should ever have to endure the misery he has for so long. After seeing Edward's pain while he and Bella were apart for just a few months, I couldn't stand by doing nothing to help him any longer. She'll be good for him. And who knows, maybe someday she'll be the one to stop the killing here," I whispered hopefully. "She truly is a force to be reckoned with."

"So are you, my love," Carlisle murmured against my ear. "By the way, there's a place here in the castle you've never seen. I've only heard of it myself, but I'm very curious. Would you be interested in an adventure?" The sparkle in his eyes and his cocky smirk, not to mention that delicious British accent that came out when he was being a horny mischief, had me following him eagerly towards whatever it was he wanted to show me.

We wove our way down through several long dark passages, descending deeper and deeper into the core of the castle itself. We came to a large wooden door with ornate fittings, and Carlisle produced an antique-looking old key from his pocket and unlocked the door. We stepped inside a room that had been hewn out of the rocks and was illuminated by small glowing stones embedded into the walls. In the middle was a bubbling hot spring, and all around the room was every manner of device designed for physical pleasure you could imagine. There was an odd looking strappy kind of swing hanging from an automated pulley and eyebolt rigging embedded into the rock. There were several different types of benches and bar frames with straps and harnesses, all sensually designed to maximize gravity and angles. And there was a shelf with towels, robes, and lubricants of all types. Seeing this room just made the idea of coming back to Volterra in the future seem like a very good plan indeed.

Carlisle breathed deeply, detecting my body's response as it again gave me away in its usual manner. He stalked up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist and ground himself into my backside. He whispered seductively in my ear, "I take it you like what you see. May I interest you something, my love?" he purred as he pulled me tighter against him and his hands slid up under my blouse to firmly massage my breasts. I could feel every contour of his body, including his prominent erection straining between us. I turned in his arms and brought his lips to mine before dropping my hand and gripping him tightly through his clothes, causing him to thrust into me and hiss loudly. "I'll take that as a yes."

I was glad I wasn't terribly invested in the outfit I was wearing because suddenly it was in shreds at my feet, along with the bra and panties I had been wearing. Carlisle scooped me up and carried me to one of the metal structures, situating me onto one of the large plus sign-shaped mounting racks and strapping my arms above my head. He brought each of my legs up, strapping them to the bars such that I was fully spread open. It was a good thing I was very flexible and could easily do the splits or this would have been painfully uncomfortable.

This apparatus was like a giant metal spider web, and the mounting racks were adjustable to almost any height and angle. I suddenly found myself flipped and hanging upside down while watching Carlisle as he slowly removed his clothing. He appraised my naked form hanging inverted and spread open in front of him, licking his lips as he moved towards me. He was beautiful, his pale skin shimmering in the faint glow of the chamber. "Have you ever wondered how a moth caught in a spider's web feels as the spider sucks at its body while it hangs captive in the silky strands of the web?" Carlisle asked me in a dark, quiet voice. I shook my head no, and he smirked at me before running his long fingers across the planes of my splayed legs, coming together in the middle to trace around my valley before making the circuit again. "I have."

I gasped as his tongue suddenly plunged hard and deep inside me. He had wrapped his arms around my hips and was holding on to me for dear life as he attacked me with his mouth. Being upside down like this put his erection at the optimum height and angle for us to execute a wickedly perfect "69." I latched on to him, taking him all the way back in my throat, sucking and swirling my tongue over his throbbing shaft. He reached and grabbed the bars of the frame while continuing his oral assault on me, climbing on and bringing his feet up so that he was in a semi-squat. I slipped my hands free of the restraints and reached out to grip his dangling balls with one hand while driving two fingers of my other hand inside him, pumping deeply while massaging his prostate. Thankfully, we didn't use this orifice any longer as vampires, but it still drove Carlisle mad when I did this to him. I hit it just right, and as I sucked hard and clamped down on him with my mouth and swallowed around him, he screamed in release as he bit down on my swollen bud, causing me to come yet again.

After taking a moment to stabilize himself, Carlisle flipped me upright and released me, taking me into his arms. "If this is how the moth feels after the spider has done its worst, I volunteer to be trapped in a web with you anytime, my handsome predator," I giggled quietly against his chest.

We spent the next few hours testing out the other things in the room, and I particularly liked the bowed bench with the handle grips. Its adjustable height made bouncing on Carlisle's upwardly-thrust erection while in a standing position effortless. We soaked and played in the hot spring for a while, enjoying each other again before Carlisle slipped his dress shirt on me and we finally began making our way back toward our room.

On the way back, we passed a regiment of guard members carrying away piles of broken and splintered pieces of what looked like furniture while others maneuvered crates and pieces of new furniture into Marcus and Lysandra's room. We quickly scurried past to our room, where we both collapsed into hysterics the minute we were inside.

"I hope Alice put the furniture gallery on notice. At this rate, the place will be out of inventory by the end of next week," I giggled and Carlisle smirked from his place on the bed.

"Like we do every place we live?" he grinned cheekily and grabbed me, rolling us so I was lying across his chest. "They're going to be worse than Emmett and Rosalie. And it's worth every splintered piece to see him so happy finally. It's been far too long."

Later that evening, we took Lysandra for her first hunt. She insisted Marcus join her, which he did, but not without a small protest and a protruding lip. Seriously. One of the most powerful vampires in the world…pouted. However, the look on his face when Lysandra whispered into his ear a promise to do that thing with her tongue again that he liked so much, the grin on his face said he would drink skunk blood if that was what it took to make her happy.

We quickly located a herd of deer and Jasper, Carlisle, and Marcus sat back and watched as Alice and I took Lysandra in for her first kill. She was a natural, taking down a large buck and a doe, snapping their necks effortlessly. Her mane of dark golden hair settled around her shoulders as she drank from the doe first.

Alice and I had also taken down a large deer each, and I watched as Carlisle approached me slowly, brushing my hair back as I pulled on the large vein in the deer's neck. We had hunted together so many times that I no longer had a possessive response to him when he joined me at a kill. In fact, I rather enjoyed dining with him curled around me, his hands doing amazing things to my body while we fed. Jasper and Alice had the same idea and were both wrapped up with each other while draining their deer. I was amazed when Lysandra held her hand out to Marcus to join her, as newborns were generally protective of their kills. He joined her at her second deer, again wrinkling his nose, but sinking his head next to hers to bite as they fed together. She cuddled into him as he wrapped his arms contentedly around her. I was certain then that they were meant to be together.

For the first time ever, I was sad to be leaving Volterra. As I kissed Lysandra's cheeks in farewell with promises of coming back in the spring for their wedding, her smiling face positively glowed with happiness. I realized she had become like another daughter to me and I was so proud of her as she took her place next to Marcus. She was a strong woman and a natural leader, her gift of being gently but decidedly persuasive already manifesting itself in Volturi business.

Aro still creeped me out a bit, and Caius was as strange as ever, but I felt I had accomplished something this trip that would positively affect how the Volturi and the Cullen's would view each other in the future. Marcus was a new man, freed from the chains of grief and loneliness he had been bound with for centuries. I guess it was appropriate, given the name 'Lysandra' meant 'liberator' in the Greek language. She truly was his liberator. He had a new purpose in life, and a new perspective on the world. Everything now mattered to him, and his outlook was cheerful and positive, made so by the walking ray of sunshine on his arm.

He solemnly promised Carlisle he would continue to help Lysandra live her chosen lifestyle, joining her much to the puzzlement of Aro and Caius. They were opposed to Marcus not joining them to dine at first; that was until Lysandra used her gift to gain their understanding and cooperation. She had become fast friends with Caius and Aro's mates as well, encouraging them to be stronger and more involved in seeking change for the better, and my instincts told me that change was in the air for the future of their men, again for the better of everyone.

As far as the vampire world was concerned, this could only be a good thing.


End file.
